1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming substrate coated with a layer of microcapsules filled with dye or ink, on which an image is formed by selectively breaking or squashing the microcapsules in the layer of microcapsules. This invention also relates to an image-forming system using such an image-forming substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional type of image-forming substrate with a layer of microcapsules filled with dye or ink, a shell of each microcapsule is formed from a suitable photo-setting resin, and an optical image is recorded and formed as a latent image on the layer of microcapsules by exposing it to light rays in accordance with image-pixel signals. Then, the latent image is developed by exerting pressure on the layer of microcapsules. Namely, the microcapsules, which are not exposed to the light rays, are squashed and broken, whereby the dye or ink seeps out of the squashed and broken microcapsules, and thus the latent image is visually developed by the seepage of the dye or ink.
Of course, each of the conventional image-forming substrates must be packed so as to be protected from being exposed to light, resulting in wastage of materials. Further, the image-forming substrates must be handled such that they are not subjected to excess pressure due to the softness of unexposed microcapsules, resulting in an undesired seepage of the dye or ink.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an easy-to-handle image-forming substrate coated with a layer of microcapsules filled with dye or ink, for which it is unnecessary to protect against exposure to light.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image-forming system using the above-mentioned image-forming substrate.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image-forming substrate comprising a base member, and a layer of microcapsules, coated over the base member, that contains at least one type of microcapsule filled with a dye. The at least one type of microcapsule exhibits a pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when the at least one type of microcapsule is squashed and broken under a predetermined pressure at a predetermined temperature, the dye seeps from the squashed and broken microcapsules. The at least one type of microcapsule is coated with a radiation absorbent material absorbing electromagnetic radiation, having a specific wavelength, so as to be heated to the predetermined temperature by irradiation with a beam of radiation having the specific wavelength. Preferably, the radiation absorbent material comprises an infrared absorbent pigment exhibiting one of a transparent pigmentation and a milky white pigmentation.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the layer of microcapsules may contain at least two types of microcapsules: a first type of microcapsule filled with a first dye, and a second type of microcapsule filled with a second dye. In this case, each of the first and second types of microcapsules exhibits a pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when each of the first and second types of microcapsules is squashed and broken under a predetermined pressure at a predetermined temperature, the dye concerned seeps from the squashed and broken microcapsule. Also, the first type of microcapsule is coated with a first radiation absorbent material absorbing electromagnetic radiation having a first specific wavelength, so as to be heated to the first predetermined temperature by irradiation with a first beam of radiation having the first specific wavelength, and the second type of microcapsule is coated with a second radiation absorbent material absorbing electromagnetic radiation having a second specific wavelength, so as to be heated to the second predetermined temperature by irradiation with a second beam of radiation having the second specific wavelength. Preferably, the first radiation absorbent material comprises a first infrared absorbent pigment that exhibits one of a transparent pigmentation and a milky white pigmentation, and the second radiation absorbent material comprises a second infrared absorbent pigment that exhibits one of a transparent pigmentation and a milky white pigmentation.
Also, in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image-forming system using the above-mentioned image-forming substrate, the layer of microcapsules of which contains the at least one type of microcapsule. In this case, an image-forming apparatus is used to form an image on the image-forming substrate, and includes a pressure application unit that exerts the predetermined pressure on the layer of microcapsules, and an irradiating unit that irradiates the layer of microcapsules with a beam of radiation having the specific wavelength, such that a portion of the layer of microcapsules, irradiated by the beam of radiation, are heated to the predetermined temperature.
In the image-forming system, the irradiating unit may comprise an optical scanning system that includes a radiation beam emitter that emits the beam of radiation, and an optical deflector that deflects the beam of radiation so as to scan the layer of microcapsules with the deflected beam of radiation. Preferably, the radiation beam emitter comprises an infrared source that emits an infrared beam as the beam of radiation.
In the image-forming system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned image-forming substrate, that includes the layer of microcapsules containing the first and second types of microcapsules, may be used. In this case, to form an image on the image-forming substrate, an image-forming apparatus is used, which includes a pressure application unit that exerts the predetermined pressure on the layer of microcapsules, and an irradiating unit that irradiates the layer of microcapsules with a first beam of radiation having the first specific wavelength, and a second beam of radiation having the second specific wavelength, such that a portion of the first and second types of microcapsules, irradiated by the first and second beams of radiation, are heated to the predetermined temperature.
The irradiating unit may comprise an optical scanning system that includes a first radiation beam emitter that emits the beam of radiation, a second radiation beam emitter that emits the second beam of radiation, and an optical deflector that deflects the respective first and second beams of radiation so as to scan the layer of microcapsules with the deflected first and second beams of radiation. Preferably, the first radiation beam emitter comprises a first infrared source that emits a first infrared beam as the first beam of radiation, and the second radiation beam emitter comprises a second infrared source that emits a second infrared beam as the second beam of radiation.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image-forming substrate comprising a base member, and a layer of microcapsules, coated over the base member, that contains at least a first type of microcapsule filled with a first dye. The first type of microcapsule exhibits a first pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when the first type of microcapsule is squashed and broken under a first predetermined pressure at a first predetermined temperature, the first dye seeps from the squashed and broken microcapsule. The layer of microcapsules may further contains a second type of microcapsule filled with a second dye. The second type of microcapsule exhibits a second pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when the second type of microcapsule is squashed and broken under a second predetermined pressure at a second predetermined temperature, the second dye seeps from the squashed and broken microcapsule. In either case, the image-forming substrate further comprises a sheet of transparent film, covering the layer of microcapsules, that contains a radiation absorbent material absorbing electromagnetic radiation having a specific wavelength, and the sheet of transparent film is selectively heated to the respective first and second predetermined temperatures by irradiation with a first beam of radiation having the specific wavelength and a second beam of radiation having the specific wavelength. Preferably, the radiation absorbent material comprises an infrared absorbent pigment that exhibits one of a transparent pigmentation and a milky white pigmentation.
Also, in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image-forming system using the above-mentioned image-forming substrate, the layer of microcapsules of which contains only the first type of microcapsule. In this case, an image-forming apparatus is used to form an image on the image-forming substrate, and include a first pressure application unit that exerts the first predetermined pressure on the layer of microcapsules, and an irradiating unit that irradiates the layer of microcapsules with a first beam of radiation having the specific wavelength, such that a plurality of the first type of microcapsules, encompassed by a local area of the sheet of transparent film irradiated by the first beam of radiation, is heated to the first predetermined temperature. The irradiating unit may comprise an optical scanning system that includes a first radiation beam emitter that emits the first beam of radiation, and an optical deflector that deflects the first beam of radiation so as to scan the sheet of transparent film with the deflected beam of radiation. Preferably, the first radiation beam emitter comprises a first infrared source that emits an infrared beam as the first beam of radiation.
In the image-forming system according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the layer of microcapsules of the image-forming substrate contains the first and second types of microcapsules, the image-forming apparatus further includes a second pressure application unit that exerts the second predetermined pressure on the layer of microcapsules, and the irradiating unit further irradiates the layer of microcapsules with a second beam of radiation having the specific wavelength, such that a plurality of the second type of microcapsules, encompassed by a local area of the sheet of transparent film irradiated by the second beam of radiation, is heated to the second predetermined temperature. In this case, the irradiating unit further comprises a second radiation beam emitter that emits the second beam of radiation, and the second beam of radiation is deflected by the optical deflector such that the sheet of transparent film is scanned with the deflected second beam of radiation. Preferably, the second radiation beam emitter also comprises a second infrared source that emits an infrared beam as the second beam of radiation.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image-forming system which comprises an image-forming substrate including a base member, and a layer of microcapsules, coated over the base member, that contains at least one type of microcapsule filled with a dye. The at least one type of microcapsule exhibits a pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when the at least one type of microcapsule is squashed and broken under a predetermined pressure at a predetermined temperature, the dye seeps from the squashed and broken microcapsule. The image-forming system further comprises an image-forming apparatus that forms an image on the image-forming substrate, the image-forming apparatus including a pressure application unit that exerts the predetermined pressure on the layer of microcapsules, the pressure application unit including a transparent plate member, a layer of radiation absorbent material coated over a surface of the transparent plate member, and a platen member elastically pressed against the layer of radiation absorbent material at the predetermined pressure, with the image-forming substrate being interposed between the platen member and the layer of radiation absorbent material, the image-forming apparatus further including an irradiating unit that irradiates the layer of radiation absorbent material with a beam of radiation, such that a portion of the layer of microcapsules, encompassed by a local area of the layer of radiation absorbent material irradiated by the beam of radiation, is heated to the predetermined temperature.
In accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, there is further provided an image-forming system which comprises an image-forming substrate including a base member, a layer of microcapsules, coated over the base member, that contains a first type of microcapsule filled with a first dye, and a second type of microcapsule filled with a second dye. The first type of microcapsule exhibits a first pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when the first type of microcapsule is squashed and broken under a first predetermined pressure at a first predetermined temperature, the first dye seeps from the squashed and broken microcapsule. The second type of microcapsule exhibits a second pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when the second type of microcapsule is squashed and broken under a second predetermined pressure at a second predetermined temperature, the second dye seeps from the squashed and broken microcapsule. The image-forming system further comprises an image-forming apparatus that forms an image on the image-forming substrate, the image-forming apparatus including a pressure application unit that exerts the first and second predetermined pressures on the layer of microcapsules, the pressure application unit including a transparent plate member, a layer of radiation absorbent material coated over a surface of the transparent plate member, a first platen member elastically pressed against the layer of radiation absorbent material at the first predetermined pressure, and a second platen member elastically pressed against the layer of radiation absorbent material at the second predetermined pressure, with the image-forming substrate being interposed between the first and second platen members and the layer of radiation absorbent material, the image-forming apparatus further including an irradiating unit that irradiates the layer of radiation absorbent material with a first beam of radiation and a second beam of radiation, such that two portions of the layer of microcapsules, encompassed by two local areas of the layer of radiation absorbent material irradiated by the first and second beams of radiation, are heated to the first and second predetermined temperatures.